St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-08-20
DOG RACING AT BRUSSELS.
A Place Where CANNES Are Used as
Draught Animals.

The dog, as well known, is the only do
mestic animal of the Esquimaux, who use it
for drawing their sleds often to the number
ofthirty per team.
In this way they are enabled to traverse
immense frozen, snow-covered areas, and
that, too with very great rapidity.
Among civilized nations the dog was long
used by nail-makers for turning the wheel
that actuated the bellows of their little forge;
but since the works of Charleville and even
those of Sweden, have killed this humble in
dustry, the dog has been almost exclusively
used in hunting, for guarding houses and
cattle, or as pet animal, and is no longer of
any industrial use.
Among the Belgians we find the dog
used on large scale as a draught ami
NAL by peasants of the environs of Brus-
sells or by the smaller tradesmen of the city,
and it is very curious spectacle for q
stranger who has arrived in the evening to
see in the morning innumerable little carts
loaded with vegetables and fruit on their
way to the market, and drawn by dogs. 1t
is not only the kitchen gardeners and peas
ants coming to the market that make use of
the dog in this way, but also the milkmen,
the bakers, and the butchers.
The Belgian draught dog has been rem
dered celebrated by Stevens picture entitled
the Sand Merchant"
The dog which is thus used at Brussels and
in its envirOns for drawing small carts is
strong broad-backed mastif, of smaller stat
ure than the large Danish or German dogs,
OF varying shades of dull fawn color or black,
and having short, coarse-haiFed coat. The
Brabant peasants do not seem to stick to any
very uniform type as regards conformation
and color; provided that their fanged and
cIawnH Stnpi iS StrODp and pnprpptiP that iS
all they ask. These dogs display great zeal
in the service demanded of them, and per-
form their duty with as much pleasure as
hunting dogs do in following the track of
game.
One of the exercises that brings their
qualities into prominence and shows the
spirit of emulation with which they are en-
dowed is that of racing, which frequently
takes place as the result Of challenges offered
by their owners.
The race courseis the public highway, and
the distance is one and half or two miles.
All passers by and dwellers at the roadside
can enjoy the spectacle.
The contestants put themselves in line,
and the impatience of the steeds which is
shown by voice and gesture, can be kept
within bounds only by an application Of the
whip.
Finally, the signal is given and they start
off with great speed and loud barkings.
Falls are frequent, and the racers often
literally bite the dust but the coachmen in
short blouses quickly pick themselves up and
Jump into their carts and again exercise
their vigorous steeds. The latter, which have
in most cases fallen do not on that account
always reach the goal last.
The speed of these dogs is often such that
bets offered on a race between a good horse
harnessed to cabriolet and dog harnessed !
to cart have been won by the dog. 1t
costs less to keep a good draught dog, say
the Belgians, and the animal sells for
higher price than common ass, although |
the latter may often do as much work.
Scientific American